This invention relates to methods of and molds for manufacturing pants, and more particularly to methods of making a pair of pants with molding of the material from which the pants are made, and the molds used in carrying out the methods.
The invention relates especially to methods of making a pair of pants using heat-settable material (e.g., knitted polyester material) with molding of the material, and molds used in carrying out the methods. Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,763,499, issued Oct. 9, 1973 and 3,819,638, issued June 25, 1974 for disclosures in the same general field as the present invention. It is particularly directed to methods of making ladies' pants (slacks) though not limited to such pants, ladies' pants with a good fit being more difficult to make than men's pants. Until recently, the manufacture of pants has involved relatively standard garment manufacturing procedures including cutting of pieces with curved edges to form the pants and sewing of the pieces with curved seams and/or darts, to make the pants have a better fit. Such procedures are relatively time-consuming and costly. Cutting with curved edges and/or sewing with curved seams is wasteful of material, and forming darts is labor-intensive. The aforesaid patents disclose techniques for manufacturing pants (U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,638 also discloses techniques for manufacturing other garments) involving molding for a better fit with reduction of cutting and sewing operations. This invention carries this art further.